Screw cap applying machine



Nov. 22, 1932. I ssE 1,888,470

SCREW CAP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 17, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q I L% f g %9 U kWfZ/YWI F2536?" 5% fr.

Nov. 22, 1932. A. 1. RISSER SCREW CAP APPLYINGMACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1931 ,ziza

Nov. 22, 1932. A. 1. RISSER 1,888,470

SCREW CAP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 17, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @rZ/Eawii F2536?" Patented Nov; 22, 1932 UNITED sT r s ARTHUR r. arssnn, or OHICAGG, ILLINOIS soanw oar nrrnyrne'ismonmn Application filed Augustli, 1931. Serial No. 557,649.

This invention relates to screw cap applying machines, such as shown in my applioatmn Serial No. 354,013, filed April 10, 1929, and Patent No, 1,748,961, dated March 4, 1930;

i and this invention more particularly pertains to such a machine for applying screw caps which have an outwardly extended flange at their open ends, such as screw caps for fruit ars.

1 One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved capping head which Wlll positively position and maintain a screw cap in substantially coaxial alignment with the threaded neck ofthe receptacle being capped, prior to and during the capping operation, 1n

order to prevent the cap from becoming canted and jammed on the threads of the bottle.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a capping head which cooperates with the flange portion of the cap in positioning same.

' Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description, with which V F ig. 1 is a sectional view of the general cap applying mechanism of aturret type of machine, similar to the machine more fully shown and described in said application, this machine being chosen for the purpose of illustrating this invention; and it is to be understood that the improvements disclosed and pointed out herein may be used in other types of machines.

Fig.2 is a plan view of parts shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away, parts omitted and parts shown in section.

Fig. 3'is a diagram for illustrating the operation of the machine.

- Fig. 4=isai1 enlarged cross-sectional view of the capping head, the'head being shown in position for picking up the screw cap C, corresponding to the position 4A in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of'the capping head taken on the line 55-of Fig. 4, with parts broken away. 1 r

Fig; 6 is a View similar to Fig 4 with parts in changed. position, parts in full and parts i fiofomitted, and showing the capping head in the reference'to the accompanying drawings, in

position where the cap is fully applied to the 1 bottle B, as at position 8 in Fig. 3. j

The spider hub 10 and the hub of a cross yoke 11 are fixedly supported in the frame of the machine, as fully shown and described in said application, wherein the corresponding parts are numbered 37 and 41, respectively; The hubs 10 and 11 are in vertical alignment, and in the hub 10 is rotatably mounted the turret shaft 12, which is constantly rotated by a suitable application of power-through the bevel gear 14: pinned on the lower end of the shaft 12, which meshes with a bevel pinion 15 fixed on a drive shaft 16. 'The circular turret bottle support table 18 is pinned to the shaft 12 and rests on the stationary hub 10, thereby supporting the shaft vertically; and to the table 18 are fitted pocketed members 19 for holding the bottles B. Y

In the fixed hub 11 is keyed a non-rotating support shaft 20, which is bored out to re ceive the reduced upper end portion 21 of the shaft 12 and is supportedon the shoulder 22, formed on the shaft 12. g

Keyed on the upper end of the shaft 12, below the reduced portion 21, and supported on a collar 24L, pinned on the shaft 12, is a spindle support ring 25 in which the capping head spindles 26 are rotata-bly and slidably mounted. i

Keyed to the shaft 20, against rotation, is a flanged support member 27, which rests on a flat circular seat 28 provided at the center I of-the member 25, and which has a threaded sleeve 29 extending up around the stationary shaft 20. Resting on the upper surface of the flanged portion of the member 27 is a spur gear 30 which is 'frictionally held from rotation by being pressed against the mem-. ber 27 by the flanged ring 31 and hand wheel follower 82 which threads onto the sleeve 29. Then, as the member 25 is turned with the shaft 12, the spindles 26 are rotated by the pinions 34,which mesh with the stationary central gear 30. The pinions 34 are slidably keyed to the spindles and are held'between lugs 35 and .36 formed in the member 25.

For moving the constantly rotating-spin dles up and down and positioning'them to p ck up, carry, start the threading, andscrew slidably keyed the cap down on the bottles B, retained in the kets 19, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, a cam 40 encircles the spindle support ring 25, and is adjustably supported, for accommodating bottles of different heights, by a. screw 41 which threads into the upper end (lithe shafit 20. The arms of the yoke 42, rotatmymmtodm the screw 41', a re connected by depending rods 43 to a spider 44,

1 to the shaft 20. To the ends oi the radially extending arms 45 of the spider 44, are secured depending bars 46 which are bolted to the upper and lower rings 47 and 471 of the cam 40, the rings being 8 seed to form the cam groove 48, in which delthe rollers p The rollers 49 are journaled on bars 50 slidably guided in vertical grooves iguter periphery of the ring member the lower end of the bars 50 are obllarsfl which loosely embrace the r 1' between a flange 54, integrally the spindle, and a collar 55, slide amflmmpindle and connected thereto for screw 56, which engages in :ifhlpt min the spindle 26; A ball thrust M57 is inserted between the collar 52 findithe flamge 54 to reduce friction from the: of the spring which is com- 30 y L between the collar 55 and the shouldderfi m enlarged portion 62 of the spindle. is hollow, and the extreme lower aid is threaded to receive the clamping nu 64, and integrally formed near the lower '& spindle is a circular flange 65.

Tlhe capping head of this invention com prises generally, held support members '66, 67,111 a chuck member or vacuum cup 68, which are mounted on the lower end of each Q nflimlle 26, as will be described. The head support member 66 has an annular flange 69 whiflhis into frictional engagement under rsidegof the spindle flange {he-om! 64, threaded on the lower end 63 mi of the spindle, and the superimposed friction Wm-7Q, Z2 and 7.1. A short hub or sleeve 73 of the member 66 is spaced below thiaut 64 and integrally connected to the M165 by theanms 74. A ring 75, of fricmaterial, is interposed between the M55 and 69' so that the head support when is iriotionally connected to the spindle ior mtaition. c c. i Th0 head support member 67 comprises a 48 inflow-My or holder 76 having a hollow lkmf 'whieh, projects through the hub or V 73 of the support member 66, fill received within the enlarged bore 631 63 of the spindle. The a and 67' are rigidly connected to one piece by averticallv disposed in the radial pin 79,'as best shown in $45.4. The pin 79 is fixed in the hub portion 73 extends into a notch 80 in the side of e u-n 7? of the holder 76.

The chuck or vacuum cup 68 is slidably contained within the holder 76 so as to have a limited amount of axial movement with re- 7 spect to the spindle. The vacuum cup is connected to the member 67 for rotation by means of a radial pin 81, which projects from the cup and-engages in a vertical slot 82 provided in the wall of the holder 76. Extending upwardly from the vacuum cup 68 and integrally formed therewith is a stem or hollo'w tube 83 which is slidably contained within the stem 77 of the head support member 67.

For creating a vacuum in the cup 68 to pick up and retain-a bottle cap therein when the cup is placed over a ca as shown in Fig. 4, provisions are made as ollows: On the upper end of the tube 83 is provided a spherical nipple 34 which enters a conical recess 85 provided in the lower end of a short hollow plunger 86. The plunger 86is loosely contained in the bore of the spindle and is pressed into contact with the stem 83 by the spring 87 "which is seated on the shoulder 88 formed on said bore. The spring thereby urges the vacuum cup downward so that normally it .pmjects slightly from the end of the holder 76, this downward movement being stopped by the pin 81, secured to the cup, contacting with the bottom of the slot 82.

In the side of the plunger 86 is threaded a fitting 89 which projects loosely through a slot 621 provided in the spindle portion 62. The pipe fitting is connected by flexible pi es '90 and 91 to a port in the upper our ce of the seat 28 1f the member 25, the pipw being connected so that the lower ipe can rotate with the spindle throu suitable cooperating passages 93 in the re ively movable collars 55 and 52.

Asrthespindle support member 25 rotates, the port 92 therein is brought into and out of communication with a source of vacuum of 94 for producing a vacuum in the cup'at the desired time by means of a segmental concentricgroove 95 providedin the lower surface of the normally stationary member'27, the groove 95 beii'ig in constant communication with the pump line 96 of the pump through the cooperating passages 97 and 98 formed, respectively, in the member 27 and the gear 30. After the port 92 is movod'outof communication with the glOOVG 95 in the rotation of the member 25, it is broughtinto registration with a short arcuate groove 99, formed in the lower surface of the member 27, which groove is open to the atmosphere through the aligned passages 100 and 101 formed in the member 27 and the gear 30,1'espectively, and the vacuum in the cup is thereby broken.

The vacuumcup 68 is provided with clamping means, described bclow,'for holding a cap received within the cup against rotation. This means is only effective during the cap applying operation, and includes radially 130 disposed pins 102 which are slidably mounted in the wall of the cup. The inner ends of the pins 102 have conical points 103 on the inner ends for engaging the caps, and have flat heads 104, 011 the outer-ends, which limitthe inward movement. f V

For controlling the action of the pins so that they are released for the insertion and withdrawal of the cap, and moved into positive engagement with the cap. when the same is in position and is'being screwed on to the cap, a ring shaped cam 105, fixedly secured in the lower end of the holder 67, is provided, the cam ring being held in position by set screws 1 06, threaded thr'oughthe wall of the holder.

The upper portion 107, of the bore of the ring, tapers inwardly so as to force the pins in against the upper end of the cap when the head is in the condition as shown in Fig. 0, with the cap in Contact with the bottle.

To review'briefly'theconstruction and general arrangement of the machine more fully described in said application, as thetablelS and the spindles, in axial alignment with bottle pockets 19, are rotating about the shaft 12, the bottles B are placed in the poolets at the front ofv the machine, as viewed in Fig. 2. The bottles are carried around count.- erclockwise, and'removedfullv capped when they are brought back around to the front.

The bottles pass under a fixedly mounted shelf 108 to which the caps are supplied from a magazine 109, thefcaps being carr ed out from the end of themagazine by a'traveling belt 110 which moves the can up against a stop 111, mounted on the shelf. and in alignment with the spindles moving thereover. The spindles are held in raised position at the front of the machine by the rollers 49 riding in the higher portion of the cam groove 48. As the spindle moves over the shelf, it is lowered bv' the cam depressien112 to the cam dwell 113, then lowered slight 1y further by the dwell 114 as the spindle moves beyond the'belt and over the urface of the shelf 108 at the side of the belt. during which time the cap is picked up. Then the spindle is lifted, bv the rise 115. and lowered, by the depression 116, to the lower position 118 in close relation to the bottle.

during the thread-finding operation. 1 At the I cam depression 119 the spindle is fullv low;

ered to the screwing-down position, with the cam roller in the lowermost dwell 120. Then the spindle is raised by the cam rise 121 to the uppermost position as itis moved. around 'to the front of the machine.

The vacuum is applied as the spindle is over the feed belt 110. and released. at the end of the lowermost dwell 120, and atthe rear of the machine; is provided. a belt .17 which is suitably guided to contact with the. sides of the bottles and prevent them from ppr r holder 67and the pins 102 are below the cam surface 107. Then as the spindle is moved around, on the axis of the shaft 20, over the belt 110-, position 4, Fig. 3, the spindle is lowered so that the cup 68 sits lightly over the awaiting cap on the shelf 108. The vacuum is then applied to draw the cap up into the cup so that the lower edge 681, preferably conical, is in contact with the flange C around the lower edge ofthe cap C, Incasethe pins stick or. are not pressed out by the cap, and the cap is not immediately drawn up by the vacuum, the spindle is lowered further as it moves over the surface of the shelf, at the side of the belt, and the cup is thereby 10W- ered completely over the cap. With the cap held in the cup by the vacuum, the spindle is raised up from the shelf and then lowered overtheend of the bottle'which is in the pocket below the spindle. 4

The threads in the cap strike the threads on the bottle in the beginning of the dwell 118, and the vacuum cup is pressed up lightlyinto the holder andthe pins 102 cammed inwardly to engage the bottle cap. Then,

-dle raised, restoring the vacuum cup to the hanging position, and releasing the pins,

7 In this'mannera very dependable means is provided for picking the cap off from the shelf. The cap is positioned squarely and positively located by the cap flange C. This ensures quick engagement of the threads, at least within one revolution of the cap on the bottle end; and the contact of the end of the vacuum chuck with said flange pro- 1 vides a good seal for maintaining the vacuumr Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: I

1. The combination with a machine of the class described of a rotatably mounted spindle, a vacuum cup for receiving and holding a cap snugly therein, the cupbeing mounted at the end of the spindle so as to have a limited amount of axial movement with respect thereto and connectedtherewith for rotation, means for producing a vacuum in the radially disposed pins I progiecting throng and slidable in the walls of e cup for engaging the cap, a ring mounted on thespind e concentric with andsurrounding the cup, the ring having a cam surface adapted to engage and move the pins into engagement with the cap when the cup is moved axially on the spindle.

'2: Ina screw capping machine, a rotatable spindle, a vacuum cup adapted to snugly receive and hold a cap therein, the cup being mounted at the end of the spindle so as to heme limited amount of axial movement respect thereto and connected therewith foirotation, means for producing a vacuum in nthe cup, clamping elements movably mounted in the cup, and means associated with the spindle for applying the clamping elements to the cap at one limit of said axial movement of the cup.

"'8. In a screw capping machine, a rotatable spindle, a vacuum cup adapted to snugly receive and held a cap therein, the cup being mounted at the end of the spindle so as to have a limited amount'of axial movement with respect thereto and being connected therewith forrotation, means for producing a vacuum in the cup, pins slidably mounted in and projecting through the wall of the cup, thepins being in engageable relation witlr the' cap for holding same in non-rotatable relation in the cu and camming means mounted on the spindle in a position to engo and unove the pins into engagement with the cap when the cup is moved axially on the spindle.

4. In combination, a spindle, a vacuum cup slidibly' mounted on the spindle, means for producing a vacuum in the cup, radially diss for engaging the cap projecting hrou the wall portions of the cup, a cam ring mounted on the spindle and encircling HIS-c3! so as to engage and press the pins in wiir y when the cup is moved upwardly on the's indie. I atchioago, Illinois, this 8th day of August, 1931. ARTHUR 1. RISSER. 

